The invention relates to the loading and transporting of gardening and landscape refuse by means of a hauling tarpaulin which is especially suitable for items of large bulk, including discrete twigs, leaves, grass and weed cuttings, brush and the like. The assembly kit is moreover useful as a carrier of lightweight packaged granular materials and as a carrier for loads of discrete particles such as mulch. A tow bar, when harness fitted, serves not only as an anchor to keep the attached tarpaulin flat and equalized during loading, but also as an attachment device for tractor or manual transport. Its combined assembly provides a tarp-harness which is suitable for carrying large loads with minimal loss, while dragging the tarp over flat or undulating terrain, paths and/or secondary roadways. Inherent in utilizing the assembly is its versatility and its ease of handling. The bar-tarp combination is so light and maneuverable that it may be pulled by hand from one pile of brush or leaves to another during spring cleanup. When appropriately fitted with a tow bar, the flaccid tarpaulin is self-spreading in its function, during hauling. Likewise, when fully loaded, the user may simply shift the loaded tarp to a lawn tractor. The bar-tarp assembly is also suitable for loading by leaf blowers, as will be apparent from the ensuing description.
This kit essentially comprises a non-enclosing towed "vehicle" or a bag which is specifically designed to render its loading more easy and to permit hauling much larger loads than would otherwise be permissible. The flexible tarpaulin and its associated harness is sufficiently large, relative to the handler or the towing device that unusually volumous quantities of refuse may be loaded. The characteristics of discrete refuse elements such as lawn cuttings, brush or leaves cause an interlocking as between the various towed elements comprising the refuse, such that vibration of the tarpaulin during hauling will not dislodge the haulage from the tarpaulin. Unloading is undertaken by pulling one edge of the loaded tarpaulin over the loaded section, whereupon a portion of the tarpaulin may be flipped over completely and the load discharged, accordingly.
A tarp-harness of the tarpaulin is ideally suited for pulling behind a lawn tractor/mower; the limit thereof being the strength of the tarp and grommets which interconnect the tarp to the flexible harness, per se. Thus large loads of wet leaves and/or heavy brush may be easily loaded and moved by tractor and, optionally under manual hauling, a gardener can grab the bar and haul with no need to pull the tarp itself. The tarp bar thus serves as a load equalizer. One of the unique features lies in the ability to spread the tarp herein on the one side and to pull by hand on the other, all as will appear hereinafter. Key to the features of invention include lightweight, ability to spread and anchor a readily available large tarpaulin for ease of loading; its suitability for leaves, wet or dry and brush; a large capacity for towing either by hand or mechanical towing equipment; adjustable nature of the tarpaulin clips for use with different size tarpaulins and ease of assembly and use. Additionally, the tow bar acts as an excellent core around which the tarpaulin may be furled and rolled for storage and/or transport, when not in use.
______________________________________ INVENTOR DATE PATENT NO. TITLE ______________________________________ King 1900 645,475 Combined Singletree and Spreader Backs 1948 2,452,826 Sack Holder Frieder et al 1961 3,011,820 Webbing Cargo Net Wahlstrom 1967 3,312,263 Tote Bag for Fallen Leaves Barnard 1984 4,434,829 Collapsible Yard Can Lutzker 1985 4,548,372 Lawn and Leaf Bag Holder Hullen 1986 4,602,664 Method and Apparatus For Collecting Lawn Debris Hayes et al 1991 5,011,103 Leaf Bag and Collaps- ible Frame Williams 1993 5,183,339 Bag and Adjustable Bag Opener ______________________________________
Hullen '664 comprises a bar connected to a tarpaulin for collective placement around a tree to make hand or machine hauling easier. Nevertheless, it does require anticipating where the leaves may likely fall. In contrast, no staking or anchoring of the hauling tarp is required in the present invention. Hayes '103 as Hullen aforesaid, comprises a collapsible enclosing device, forming a leaf bag and collapsible frame. It has a lesser capacity than the present invention and is not suitable to attachment to a pulling device, without substantial modification. The Williams '339 device, as Hayes, requires holding by hand while loading; moreover, no provision is made for subsequent hand draft. King's '475 combined singletree and spreader is complex, requiring two portions pivoting on a third and it is ill-adapted to draft when loaded. Backs '826 is distinguishable on the basis that it comprises a sack holder, per se. Frieder et al '820 is ill-adapted to the alternate transport of solid or packaged granular materials. The present kit is adapted to spreading on one side and pulling by hand on the other. Wahlstrom '263 requires manipulation in loading and unloading. Washington '701 again is a sack bag holder, requiring a grasping hand on the device while filling plus repeated attachment and disengagement of the spreader device from the bags as they are filled. Lutzker '372 is not adapted as a device to facilitate loading larger quantities of debris and for ease of removal thereof to the dumping site.